What is the interpretation of what happened to the questioner, who saw a handsome young man after experiencing intrusive thoughts (waswasah) and praying to see the one causing them, and what is the difference between the waswasah of Satan and the inclinations of the self (hawa al-nafs)?

This matter is not definitive, but it may be psychological imaginings. The inclination of the soul differs from the whisperings of Satan. The former is what the soul tends towards and loves, while the latter is what Satan beautifies for the servant. The two may combine, so a Muslim must strive against both, for Satan and the soul are the human's bitter enemies. Satan is a clear enemy to humankind, wanting to mislead them, sow enmity and hatred among people, and turn them away from the remembrance of Allah and prayer. As for the soul, it is ever-inclined to evil, and it is the vehicle through which Satan enters upon a person. Allah Almighty has forbidden following the soul's inclinations because it leads astray from Allah's path.

The remedy for this is asceticism in this world, opposing Satan, and abandoning the soul's desires. Among the most important remedies is suppressing Satan through seeking refuge with Allah and engaging in remembrance. When a servant remembers his Lord, Satan withdraws and shrinks away, but if he becomes heedless, Satan whispers. The remembrance of Allah protects the servant from his enemy, and heedlessness is the door through which Satan enters.